Director-General Addresses Conference on Disarmament

Director-General Addresses Conference on Disarmament

24 May 2011

The Director-General addressed the Conference on Disarmament today for the first time in his new role as Secretary-General of the Conference and Personal Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to the Conference. He spoke of the implications of the continuous deadlock of the Conference for international security. The Director-General, “a true supporter of multilateral disarmament”, highlighted the efforts of the Secretary-General to resolve the impasse, and urged the Conference to overcome its differences and resume substantive work. He stated that he remains hopeful in the “diplomatic creativity” of the Members, and that in order to resolve the impasse “deliberations and discussions must be complemented with negotiations”.